Means for coupling agitators to concrete pouring forms and molds



Sept. 29, 1931. R. D. HuDsoN -1,825,117

MEANS FOR CUPLING AGITATORS TO CONCRETE POURING FORMS AND MOLDS Filed Aug. 27. '1929 10 mass.

Patented Sept. 29,l 1931 IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

RICHARD D. HUDSON, F UPPER MONT'CLAIR, N JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NEWARK f r CONCRETE PIPE CO., 0F NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MEANS FOR COUPLING AGITATORS '.110 CONCRETE POURING FORMS AND MOLDS Application led .August 27, 1929. Serial No. 388,760.

- This invention' relates, generally, to means for operativelyV attaching vibratory agitators to forms or molds for pouring concrete or similar plastic materials.

In the operation of pouring concrete or other plastic materials in shaping forms or molds itfis'highly desirable yto agitate the form or mold by vibration in order to settle the poured material into a rm'consolidated To this end some suitable form of vibratory agitator may be employed, and

so connected or attached to the form or -mold as to impart tremor thereto, whereby the material introduced into the form or mold interior is shaken down into desired firmly consolidated condition readyv for setting. It is the object Vof this invention to provide a simple and yet highly efficient and easily manipulated means .for coupling a vibratory agitator exteriorly to a form or mold so that its vibrations are adequately imparted to the form or'mold walls for the purposes above stated. The novel couplingr means of this invention is especially adapted for use in connection with molds for casting concrete pipe, columns, and the vlike and for many other similar uses.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying draw- 35 ings, in which Fig. 1 shows a concrete pipe casting mold in side elevation, the same having a vibratory agitator attached thereto by the novel coupling means of this invention; and Fig. 2

is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and viewed in the direction of the arrows associated with said section line.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above-described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to said drawings, the reference character 5 indicates any suitable form of concrete pipe casting mold. The reference '50 character 6 indicates one form of vibratory carrier bracket, soas to provideportions agitator adapted for attachment to said mold 5 for imparting desired tremor'thereto. p In the form shown, said vibratory agitator comprises a base 7 and housing 8 provided with suitable bearings for rotatably supporting a shaft 9 in perpendicular relation to said base and housing. Said shaft isdriven at relatively high speed by an elec- .tric motor 1() mounted within the housing 8, and the armature of which is fixed t0 "65 said shaft. Saidshaft is provided with an eccentrically offset unbalancing weight 11 suitably secured thereto. While the driving device for the shaft 9 and its unbalancing weight 11 is herein shown and described '5'5 as consisting in theform of an electric motor, it will be understood that other forms of driving means may be employed, and in fact vibratory agitator per se may be of any desired kind or type calculated to proif duce and transmit desired vibrations.

The means for operatively attaching or coupling the vibratory agitator 6 to the mold 5, comprises a carrier bracket 12 to .which said vibratory agitator is rigidly sef cured by Vmeans of bolts 13 extending through the base of the latter and the body 'of said carrier bracket 12. Rigidly connected with theV inner end of said carrier bracket 12, preferably yas an integral art'fgo thereof, is mold or form Contact shoe. his contact shoe is preferably in the form of a pair of laterally spaced shoe-plates 111 'disposed Vsubstantially at right angles to the 'S5 upwardly extending above and portions ydownwardly extending below said carrier bracket. It is also preferable that the downwardly extending portions of said shoeplates exceed in lengthv that of the upwardly extendingv portions thereof. The upper extremities of said shoe plates 14 are provided with stop ears 15 orjthe like for puryposespresently to be made clear.

In applying thecarrier bracket 12, carrying the vibratory agitator 6, in operative relation to the mold 5, the shoe plates 14 are brought against the exterior surface of the mold ata point somewhere intermediate 1 .the top and bottom of the latter, whereupon a retaining chain 16 is caused to encircle the mold 5 in such manner as to engage over the upwardly extending portions of said shoeplates 14 beneath the stop ears 15 thereof. Said chain is then drawnv tight and secured so as to firmly lash the carrying bracket to the side of the mold. Displacement of the binding or holding chain 16 relative to the carrying bracket 12 and its shoe plates 14 is prevented by the stop-ears 15. 1f desired the mold walls may be provided with fixed exteriorly projecting keeper lugs 17 to engage beneath the binding or holding chain, so as to prevent downward slip of latter on the mold when the vibratory agitator is in operation. Itis necessary that the binding chain be tightly engaged around the mold and shoe-plates so as to provide rigid support for the carrying bracket, and so as to assure firm contacting engagement of the latter and its shoe-plates with the mold. To this end a chain tightening and coupling device is provided. Broadly this latter device may be of any form found practical and convenient. As shown in the drawings, the same comprises a coupler 18 having a bifurcated hook-end 19 for adjustable holding connection with one end of thc chain. At the opposite end of said coupler 18 is pivoted a tightening lever 20 to which the opposite end of said chain is connected. Said lever 20 is provided with anv actuating handle 21. A keeper link 22 slidable on said coupler 18, may be engaged with said handle 21 to hold the lever 20 in chain tightening position, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 1 of the drawings.

then the carrying bracket with the vibratory agitator has been attached or coupled to the mold 5 in the manner above described, and operating current supplied to the motor of the agitator, the revolution of the shaft 9 and its unbalaneing weight 11 at relatively high speed will produce a rapid vibration of the agitator. The vibration thus produced will be transmitted through the carrying bracket and its shoe plates to the walls of the mold 5, so that the latter will be caused to tremble or vibrate sharply. The trembling thus induced in the mold,

prevents equal distribution and blocking of the material cast into the mold interior, and will therefore cause said material to rapidly settle down throughout the mold cavity into the desired firmly consolidated mass ready for setting.

It will be obvious from the above description that the coupling means for attaching the vibratory agitator in operative relation to the mold 5 is of very simple and easily manipulated construction, and can be quickly and easily mounted and dismounted from the mold, while nevertheless, when in place, serving to firmly and rigidly tie the agitator to the mold in such relation as to attain maximum efficiency of the transmitted vibration thereof.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim An agitator means for dismountable attachment to molds, forms and the like, comprising a vibratory agitator element, a substantially horizontal carrying bracket, to which said agitator element is rigidly secured, said carrying bracket having at its inner end a pair of laterally spaced shoe plates extending at right angles thereto and having minor portions extending above and major portions extending below the same, said shoe plates being adapted to abut an exterior surface of a mold or the like, a binding chain to engage over the upper minor portions of said shoe plates and thence to extend around said mold, stop means to retain said chain against displacement from engaged relation to said minor portions of said shoe plates, and means to both couple and tighten said chain in such holding relation.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of August, 1929.

RICHARD D. HUDSON. 

